Samuel Atta Akyea

Samuel Atta Akyea (born 20 August 1962)[1] is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. A member of the New Patriotic Party of Ghana, he served as the Minister for Works and Housing until January 2021, and the current Member of Parliament of Akim Abuakwa South constituency. He is only the second person apart from President Nana Akufo-Addo to have been elected as MP of that constituency in the 4th republic.

Hon
Samuel Atta Akyea
MP
MP for Akim Abuakwa South
Assumed office
January 2009
PresidentJ. A. Mills, John D. Mahama, Nana Akufo-Addo
Preceded byNana Akufo-Addo
Minister for Works and Housing
In office
7 February 2017 – 7 January 2021
PresidentNana Akufo-Addo
Personal details
Born (1962-08-20) 20 August 1962
Kyebi, Ghana
Political partyNew Patriotic Party
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Ghana, Ghana School of Law
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionLawyer
CommitteesMines and Energy Committee (Chairperson); Subsidiary Legislation Committee; Special Budget Committee

Early life and education

He was born in Kyebi in the Eastern Region of Ghana.[2] He attended the University of Ghana, Legon and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Philosophy in 1989.[2] He proceeded to the Ghana School of Law and obtained his practising license in 1993.[2][3]

Working life

After graduating from law school he was employed as a state attorney at the Attorney General's Department.[2] He later joined the private law firm, Akufo-Addo Prempeh & Co in Accra. In 1995, he joined another private law firm, Zoe Akyea & Co., where he was made a partner and worked there for fourteen years. He left private legal practice to contest the 2008 Abuakwa South constituency election.[2]

Political life

Atta Akyea entered politics in 2008 when he was elected the parliamentarian for the Abuakwa South constituency.[4] He competed against two other aspirants, namely, Sammy Osei of the National Democratic Congress and Nana Addo Aikins, an Independent candidate.[5] He won the election by obtaining 22,681 votes out of the 30,109 which represented 75.3% of valid votes cast.[5][2] He succeeded Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who stepped down as MP in order to concentrate on his presidential ambitions.[6] Atta Akyea went on to retain his seat in the two subsequent elections held in 2012[7] and 2016. In parliament, he has served on various committees including the Finance, Public Accounts Judiciary and Appointments Committees of Parliament.[2]

2016 election

In the 2016 Ghanaian general election, he won the Abuakwa South Constituency parliamentary seat with 28,442 votes making 78.7.61% of the total votes cast whilst the NDC parliamentary candidate Owuraku Amofah had 7,697 votes making 21.3% of the total votes cast.[8][9]

2020 election

In the 2020 Ghanaian general election, he again won the Abuakwa South Constituency parliamentary seat with 29,897 votes making 75.7% of the total votes cast whilst the NDC parliamentary candidate Sanusi Mohammed had 7,740 votes making 19.6% of the total votes cast, the GUM parliamentary candidate Banning-Peprah Felix had 957 votes making 2.4% of the total votes cast and an Independent parliamentary candidate Marfo Enock Kwame had 905 votes making 2.3% of the total votes cast.[10]

Member of the following previous Parliaments

7th Parliament (NPP)

6th Parliament (NPP)

5th Parliament (NPP)

Galamsey fight

Atta Akyea was accused of not doing enough to stop the use of the Birim River by galamseyers.[11] The Birim river which passes through his constituency is a major river body in Ghana and supplies a substantial amount of the constituency's water requirement. Atta Akyea opined that the galamsey fight was a national problem requiring military support.[12][13][14]

Committees

In 2021, he was a member of the Appointment Committee.[15]

Atta Akyea is the Chairperson of the Mines and Energy Committee,[16] a member of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee and also a member of the Special Budget Committee.[17]

Ministerial appointment

In January 2017, President Akufo-Addo nominated him to be Works and Housing Minister as part of his second batch of minister designates.[18][19] Prior to his vetting by the appointments committee of Parliament, it emerged that he had made almost no input relevant to the ministry he had been nominated to head in addition he had not been involved in any relevant interaction with the Works and Housing committee.[9] It was however, a credit to him that his track record for building strong institutions and enforcement of constitutional provisions would bode well for him in the sector.[9] During his vetting by the appointments committee on 31 January 2017,[20][21] he expressed his vision for the ministry he had been appointed to and promised to complete all uncompleted housing projects started by the John Dramani Mahama administration.[22] He told the committee that he would prioritise the construction of houses for members of the judiciary.[23] He was sworn in along with eleven other ministers by President Akufo-Addo on 8 February 2017 at the Jubilee House in Accra.[24][25]

Personal life

He is married with three children and is a Christian. He is a member of the International Central Gospel Church.[4]

Award

At its 28th West African Nobles Conference and Awards in Accra, the non-governmental, non-religious, and nonprofit West African Nobles Forum (WANF) presented Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea, Minister of Works and Housing, with an award for preserving the virtues of honesty, integrity, and accountability.[26]

Controversy

In March 2022, he was chased out by the people in the Abuakwa South Constituency. It was alleged he failed to honor his campaign promises to the people.[27]

Philanthropy

In March 2020, he presented some sanitary products to his constituency in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.[28]

References
  1. "Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea: MP for Abuakwa South". odekro. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  2. "Akyea, Samuel Atta". Ghana MPs. 7 January 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  3. "Bio Of 2nd Batch Of Ministers-Designate Announced By President Nana Akufo-Addo". Peace FM. 21 January 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  4. "Governance Samuel Atta Akyea – Works & Housing". Government of Ghana. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  5. "Ghana election 2008" (PDF). fes. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  6. "I am not resigning? -Akufo-Addo". Ghanaweb. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  7. "I'm a very serious lawyer – Atta-Akyea". Ghanaweb. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  8. FM, Peace. "2016 Election - Abuakwa South Constituency Results". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  9. "Parliamentary Records of Ministers-Designate : Samuel Atta Akyea (NPP-Abuakwa South) Works and Housing Minister-Designate". Odekro. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  10. FM, Peace. "2020 Election - Abuakwa South Constituency Results". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  11. "A Chat With Hon Samuel Atta Akyea, MP". Modern Ghana. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  12. "We Are Partners – Atta Akyea". modernghana. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  13. "Atta Akyea not involved in Kyebi chieftaincy affairs". vibeghana. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  14. "Clamp Down on Galamsey". 9 March 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  15. "Speaker never said Appointment Committee should suspend to plant trees -Atta Akyea". Ghana MPS. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  16. "Parliament warns Herald Editor to cease exposés on controversial GNPC/Genser Energy contract". Graphic Online. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  17. "Parliament of Ghana". www.parliament.gh. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  18. "Profile of second batch of ministerial nominee". Myjoyonline. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  19. "Atta Akyea, two others face vetting today". ghananewsagency. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  20. "Some questions asked at vetting irrelevant -Atta Akyea". ultimatefmonline. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  21. "Atta Akyea, Amewu get vetted today". Ghanaweb. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  22. "Vetting Highlights: Atta Akyea appears before Appointments Committee". ghanaweb. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  23. "Gov't will prioritise housing facilities for judges – Atta Akyea". Myjoyfmonline. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  24. "2nd Batch Of Ministers Sworn In". thechronicle. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  25. "From Maxwell Ofori, Jubilee House Accra". The Chronicle. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  26. "Hon. Atta Akyea Wins Noble Award - MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING". 24 December 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  27. Emmanuel, Kojo (8 March 2022). "Samuel Atta Akyea chased out of community over failed promises". Pulse Ghana. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  28. "Dr Assibey-Yeboah, Samuel Atta Akyea donate sanitary items to their various constituencies - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
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